Zero-Hours Contract Rights: What's Changing in 2027

Right to Guaranteed Hours

Workers on zero-hours and low-hours contracts will have the right to be offered guaranteed working hours that reflect the hours they actually work. If you regularly work 20 hours a week but your contract says zero, your employer must offer a contract reflecting those 20 hours.

Compensation for Cancelled Shifts

Workers will have the right to be paid if a shift is cancelled, moved, or cut short by an employer at short notice. This addresses the widespread practice of employers cancelling shifts at the last minute, leaving workers without income they were counting on.

Reasonable Notice of Shifts

Employers will be required to give reasonable notice of shifts and any changes to shifts. No more being told to come in with a few hours' notice, or discovering a shift has been cancelled after you've already arranged childcare or transport. The exact definition of "reasonable notice" will be set through consultation.

Who Is Affected?

These changes apply to anyone on a zero-hours contract or a contract with guaranteed hours lower than the hours they regularly work. This includes:

An estimated 1.1 million workers are currently on zero-hours contracts in the UK.

When Do These Changes Take Effect?

These changes are expected to come into force sometime in 2027. The government is currently consulting on the detail. We'll update this article with confirmed dates as soon as they are announced.